Armed Forces: Childcare Facilities

Lord Moonie: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many children use the childcare facilities at the Ministry of Defence main building; what are its annual costs and income; and what were the capital costs of its conversion.

Lord Astor of Hever: There are currently 49 children of both military and civilian staff on the books of the Acorn Nursery in the Ministry of Defence Main Building; there is a limit of 38 full-time equivalent places, but the use of the facility is optimised through part-time arrangements. The facility is delivered through the Main Building redevelopment and office services private finance initiative (PFI) contract with Modus Services Limited at an annual cost of £327,000; annual income is £198,000 and is comprised of parental fees and the nursery education fund grant from the local authority. The current partial subsidy of the parental fees is being looked at as part of a wider review of this facility that will address the requirement for the service and the most effective means for its delivery. The nursery facility was created as part of the overall refurbishment of Main Building completed in 2004; it would not be possible to make a meaningful approximation of the capital costs specific to this area without disproportionate cost.

Banking: Bonuses

Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have received further advice from Sir David Walter on the recommendation he made in 2009 on the need to ensure that shareholders in United Kingdom banks were properly informed on high-level remuneration.

Lord Sassoon: The Government are familiar with Sir David Walker's recommendations and views as presented in his report issued in November 2009 and recent public statements.

Banking: Bonuses

Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they will measure the effectiveness of the robust action they committed themselves to taking to tackle unacceptable bonuses in the financial sector in The Coalition: Our Programme For Government.

Lord Sassoon: The Government will take into account a broad base of measurements, including an assessment of the relationship between remuneration and risk taking, and the extent to which reforms prevent the incentivisation of behaviour that contributed to the recent financial crisis.

Banking: Bonuses

Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the role of transparency in relation to pay and bonuses in creating confidence that United Kingdom banks are behaving responsibly.

Lord Sassoon: The Government are committed to a robust remuneration disclosure regime that increases transparency and facilitates effective oversight of the relationship between pay and risk taking.

Banking: Bonuses

Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to improve transparency in relation to bonuses paid to senior traders and executives in United Kingdom banks in order to allow shareholders to make informed decisions when voting on remuneration reports.

Lord Sassoon: The Government are committed to a robust remuneration disclosure regime. The Financial Services Authority is consulting on new disclosure rules that will cover significant risk-takers and other high earners at firms throughout the financial services sector. These new rules will come into force on 1 January 2011 and will cover all remuneration paid thereafter, including in respect of the 2010 financial year.

Diplomatic Service

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they will support Britain's overseas diplomatic presence.

Lord Howell of Guildford: Britain's overseas network is crucial for delivering core Foreign and Commonwealth Office objectives.
	Effective deployment and management of our resources is vital to support Britain's overseas diplomatic presence and activity. This will enable us to maintain a strong global network, contribute to building the UK's prosperity and strengthen the UK's security. We want to increase efficiencies and keep our staff safe and well equipped to lead the Government's distinctive and active foreign policy, working with other countries on the UK's behalf abroad.

Disabled People: Employment

Baroness Scott of Needham Market: To ask Her Majesty's Government what public funds are available to assist elected councillors with disabilities in the furtherance of their duties.

Baroness Hanham: It is for each council to decide what arrangements to make to assist councillors with disabilities and how these arrangements should be funded.
	Local Government Leadership has published a guide for prospective councillors, which includes advice for those with disabilities: http://www.beacouncillor.org.uk/couldibe/disability.htm.

Discrimination

Lord Watson of Invergowrie: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they will take following the vote on 16 November in the Third Committee of the United Nations General Assembly to remove a reference to sexual orientation from a resolution on extra-judicial, summary and arbitrary executions.

Lord Howell of Guildford: The Government were very disappointed that the reference to sexual orientation was removed from the UN General Assembly resolution on extra-judicial, summary or arbitrary executions. Prior to the vote on this amendment, we made a statement objecting to the deletion of this reference: "To accept this amendment would be to accept that this particularly vulnerable group of people do not deserve specific mention, perhaps even to suggest that they do not warrant the same protection from killings. To us this suggestion is an affront to equality and respect for human dignity". We voted against the amendment.
	We are currently discussing the outcome of the resolution with like-minded partners. While we remain disappointed that the explicit mention of sexual orientation has been removed from language on "killings committed for any discriminatory reason", we interpret the broad language that replaced it to include these types of killings and will support the text as a whole in the plenary meeting of the UN General Assembly on that basis.
	The Government continue to oppose violence and discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people in all circumstances. We will continue to work bilaterally and through international organisations, including the UN, to promote and protect the rights of LGBT people.

Education: Standards and Bureaucracy

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to raise standards and cut bureaucracy in the education system.

Lord Hill of Oareford: The Government are determined to create an education system that delivers high standards for all children. Our recent White Paper, The Importance of Teaching, set out our plans to reform initial teacher training and attract high-quality people into teaching; improve the quality of teachers' continuing professional development; introduce a phonics screening check in year 1; ensure that our qualifications match up to the best in the world and enable young people to progress to further study; and introduce a pupil premium to provide extra funding for those schools with the most challenging intakes.
	The Government are also committed to a substantial programme of change to cut red tape and reduce unnecessary bureaucracy in schools. We have already outlined a number of measures to reduce the bureaucratic burden, including removing the time-consuming self-evaluation form (SEF), streamlining the inspection framework and scrapping the complex financial management standard in schools (FMSiS). These changes are just the start of a continuing programme of work to reduce unnecessary bureaucracy so that schools can concentrate on their core purpose of raising standards for all children and young people.

Embryology

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Statement by Earl Howe on 24 November (WS 101-2), whether it is customary for the holder of a licence from the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) to present unpublished data generated primarily by a separate research group at a meeting for which the minutes were previously published on the HFEA website; whether permission from any separate research groups for unpublished data to be presented in this way was disclosed to members of the HFEA; and which were the licensed centres making representations at the relevant meeting of the Authority's Research Licence Committee on 14 September 2006.

Earl Howe: The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has advised that the noble Lord has examined the minutes of the Research Licence Committee that met on 14 September 2006. The HFEA has also advised that it has no further comment to offer on the conduct of that meeting.

Energy: Carbon Reduction Commitment

Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Marland on 1 December (WA 455) stating that energy supplied by a landlord to a tenant counts towards the landlord's carbon reduction commitment (CRC), whether the Department of Energy and Climate Change's approach in the consultation on amendments to the CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme Order 2010, where the landlord is the Northern Ireland Government and tenants also government departments, is consistent with that answer; if not, why; and whether they view Northern Ireland government departments as separate private companies.

Lord Marland: All government departments and their devolved Administration equivalents are mandated to participate in the CRC regardless of the energy use threshold that applies to other participants in order to show public sector leadership. The manner in which Northern Ireland departments occupy their accommodation does not allow for individual departments to be responsible for their own energy use under the current legislation because the energy supply is considered to have been made to the single department providing the accommodation for the rest of the Executive.
	The Government propose to amend the scheme's landlord/tenant treatment in the specific case of Northern Ireland departments to enable the fulfilment of the Executive's commitment that all their departments should be individually responsible for their energy use. It does not alter the Government's view of the wider CRC relationship between other landlords and tenants.

Father James Chesney

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Shutt of Greetland on 23 November (WA 298), what are the various definitions of collusion used by those independent figures carrying out relevant reviews and inquiries on behalf of the Government; whether they will provide a single definition; and whether they considered whether the assistance they provided to the Royal Ulster Constabulary in relation to Father Chesney fell within any of those definitions of collusion.

Lord Shutt of Greetland: The various definitions of collusion used by the independent figures carrying out reviews and inquiries are already in the public domain-for example, the four Cory reports that are available in the House Library. As I set out in my Written Answer of 23 November (Official Report, col. WA 298), it is not for the Government to provide a single definition of the term "collusion". In relation to the Claudy atrocity, both the Secretary of State and the Deputy Prime Minister issued full apologies that Father Chesney was not properly investigated for his suspected involvement in this hideous crime. Beyond this apology, it is not appropriate for the Government to interpret the ombudsman's report further. I have however placed a copy of the ombudsman's report in the Library of the House. In particular, I refer the noble Lord to paragraph 6.23 of this report, which details the ombudsman's findings about the Government's role.

Forestry Commission

Lord Clark of Windermere: To ask Her Majesty's Government on how many occasions in the past 30 years Ministers have issued instructions to Forestry Commissioners; and on which occasions such instructions have been rejected.

Lord Henley: Section 1(4) of the Forestry Act 1967 requires the forestry commissioners in exercising their functions under the Forestry Act and the Plant Health Act 1967 to comply with directions given to them by Ministers. There have been two directions given in the past 30 years and there is no record of the commissioners not complying when a direction has been given.

Health: Doctors

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to increase the quality of medical training for doctors.

Earl Howe: The content and standard of medical training is the responsibility of the General Medical Council (GMC), which is the competent authority for medical training in the United Kingdom. The GMC registers doctors to practise medicine in the UK and acts as the custodian of quality standards in medical education and practice. It works with the profession through the medical royal colleges, which are responsible for curricula development, and postgraduate deans, who are responsible for quality management at a local level.
	The department is responsible for overall medical education policy development and will shortly be publishing a consultation on proposals for education and training based on principles in the White Paper Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS. This will be set within the context of delivering appropriate investment in workforce education and training, while ensuring better outcomes for patients and value for money, underpinned by strong clinical leadership.
	Medical Education England provides the department with independent expert advice on education and training. It is currently developing a set of quality indicators to be used in the commissioning of medical education and training in England and is looking at the future shape of postgraduate medical training.

Health: Krebs Cycle

The Countess of Mar: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether tests to assess the functional efficiency of the Krebs cycle are available to National Health Service patients.

Earl Howe: There are no tests that can directly assess the functional efficiency of the Krebs cycle. Routine laboratory tests can measure levels of substances that might indicate abnormal functioning of the cycle, and tests undertaken in specialist laboratories can measure substances that are necessary for the cycle to function. Measurement of enzyme activities that are part of the cycle, within cells, is undertaken in some research laboratories, but these indicate enzyme levels and do not show whether the functional efficiency of the cycle is normal or abnormal.

Israel

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Howell of Guildford on 23 November (WA 307), what was the content of the reply received by HM Ambassador from the Government of Israel on the last occasion he raised the issue of protection for minority groups.

Lord Howell of Guildford: It is important for these discussions to take place in private. If the United Kingdom does not maintain this trust and confidence, its ability to protect and promote UK interests through international relations will be hampered. I can assure the noble Lord that we will, however, continue to raise this issue as and when necessary.

Israel

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Howell of Guildford on 25 November (HL4009), whether Mr Mahmoud Ramhi has been released; and, if not, whether they have made representations to the Government of Israel to ensure that his case is promptly and fairly reviewed by a court and that his family has access to him.

Lord Howell of Guildford: We understand that Mr Mahmoud Ramhi has been held in administrative detention in Ofer prison in the West Bank since 10 November.
	Our embassy in Tel Aviv discusses concerns regarding the treatment of Palestinian prisoners with the Government of Israel on a regular basis, underlining our view on the need for immediate action to ensure that all cases are reviewed by a court in accordance with fair procedures, and that rights, particularly the rights to a fair trial and family visits, are upheld. These points were discussed most recently on 23 November. We will continue to raise these points with the Government of Israel as necessary.

Morocco

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the Government of Morocco concerning the democratic and human rights of the Saharawi people.

Lord Howell of Guildford: My honourable friend the Minister for the Middle East and North Africa has recently visited Morocco, where he discussed the issue of Western Sahara with his Moroccan interlocutors. During his visit he repeated our wish to see the establishment of an independent human rights monitoring mechanism in the territory. Officials have recently presented a non-paper of ideas on human rights monitoring options to the parties to the conflict.
	We are committed to the United Nations Security Council position, calling for a just, lasting and mutually acceptable political solution, which provides for the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara.

Northern Ireland: Bill of Rights

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the need for a separate bill of human rights for Northern Ireland, as distinct from the rest of the United Kingdom.

Lord Shutt of Greetland: The Belfast agreement refers to supplementary rights in Westminster legislation to reflect the particular circumstances of Northern Ireland. The Government will consider the appropriate legislative vehicle to give effect to any supplementary rights if consensus can be reached on what these should be.

Post Office

Lord Bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that the Post Office becomes a mutual for the benefit of employees and customers rather than a private company with shareholdings.

Baroness Wilcox: Under the provisions of the Postal Services Bill currently before Parliament, Post Office Ltd may only be 100 per cent owned by the Government, as now, or by a mutual established to act for the public benefit by promoting the use of Post Office services by the public. The Bill also includes protections to prevent disposals of property or rights by the Post Office that are inconsistent with that purpose.

Questions for Written Answer

Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Strathclyde on 24 November (WA 353-4), what percentage of Questions for Written Answer allocated to HM Treasury since 25 May were answered within the 10 working days target.

Lord Sassoon: As of 7 December, 86 per cent (507 of 587), compared with 71 per cent (173 of 242) for the 2009-10 session and 68 per cent (289 of 428) for the 2008-09 session.

Railways: High Speed 2

Lord Stevenson of Balmacara: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the forthcoming public consultation on the High Speed Two rail route will consider both the principle of high speed rail and which should be the preferred route.

Earl Attlee: The forthcoming consultation will cover both the strategic case for high speed rail and the preferred route for a line between London and the West Midlands.

Republic of Ireland: Financial Support

Lord Stoddart of Swindon: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the participation by the United Kingdom in the planned financial assistance to the Republic of Ireland economy will be paid for by increased taxation or by increased borrowing.

Lord Sassoon: The scoring in the public sector accounts of financial assistance to the Republic of Ireland is a matter for the Office for National Statistics.
	A loan should not affect public sector net borrowing.

Republic of Ireland: Financial Support

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether loans provided to the Republic of Ireland are conditional on that country's standard of human rights being brought to the same level as those in the United Kingdom.

Lord Sassoon: The main elements of policy conditionality will be formally agreed by the Eurogroup, European Council and the International Monetary Fund. The UK has been involved in these discussions, which will inform the conditions attached to any bilateral loan from the UK to the Republic of Ireland.

Republic of Ireland: Financial Support

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether loans provided to the Republic of Ireland are conditional on that country's discharging all that was agreed under the International Agreement of April 1998.

Lord Sassoon: The main elements of policy conditionality will be formally agreed by the Eurogroup, European Council and the International Monetary Fund. The UK has been involved in these discussions, which will inform the conditions attached to any bilateral loan from the UK to the Republic of Ireland.

Roads: Traffic Signs

Lord Bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty's Government why they paid £199,975 to the consultants AECOM for two projects starting this year to research "the awareness of the meaning of traffic signs" and "the effectiveness of area-wide parking controls", given their commitment to reduce public spending, particularly spending on consultants.

Earl Attlee: These research projects will enable the completion of the ongoing traffic signs policy review. The review aims to ensure that future policy on traffic regulation and signing is based on strong evidence and provides wide-ranging benefits and cost savings through more efficient and better-understood road networks.

Safety: Standards

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Wilcox on 25 November (WA 390), which British standards provide safety objectives relating to electric ovens and other cooking appliances, including the requirement that controls provide clear safety aids such as backlighting.

Baroness Wilcox: The British standards that provide safety objectives relating to electric ovens and other cooking appliances are BS EN 60335-1:2002 (with Amendments to 2010), specifying the general requirements for the safety of household and similar electrical appliances, and BS EN 60335-2-6:2003 (with Amendments to 2008), specifying particular requirements for stationary cooking ranges, hobs, ovens and similar appliances.
	Clause 7.9 of BS EN 60335-1:2002 requires that switches that may give rise to a hazard when operated shall be marked or placed so as to indicate clearly which part of the appliance they control. Backlighting would be one way of complying with this requirement.

Schools: Continence Issues

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they support campaigns such as Bog Standard and Water is Cool in School, being run by the Paediatric Continence Forum, which aim at raising awareness of paediatric continence issues and helping children to overcome them.

Earl Howe: We expect schools to work together with voluntary, business and statutory agencies to create an environment where school buildings and support in schools contribute to building strong families and communities. To assist this process we will work nationally to ensure that schools have access to high-quality, evidence-based information and will expect them to take into account the relevance of campaigns such as Bog Standard and Water is Cool in School when planning and maintaining their facilities.
	The Department for Education is currently reviewing the Education (School Premises) Regulations. Within that review, it is considering possible requirements about school pupils' access both to toilets and to drinking water.

Schools: Meals

Baroness Morris of Yardley: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many children are currently in receipt of free school meals; and what is the breakdown of that figure according to the ethnic background of the children.

Lord Hill of Oareford: Information on pupils known to be eligible for free school meals broken down by ethnic background is shown in the table. Ethnic origin is collected for pupils of compulsory school age and above only. The information contained in this Answer therefore differs from published free school meal eligibility data, which normally include full-time pupils aged nought to 15 and part-time pupils aged five to 15.
	Information on pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is shown in the table.
	
		
			 Maintained nursery, maintained primary(1), state-funded secondary(1)(2) and special schools(3): school meal arrangements by ethnic group(4)(5) 
			 As at January 2010 in England 
			  Nursery and Primary Schools(1)   State-funded Secondary Schools(1)(2)   Special Schools(3)   
			  Number on roll(4)(5) Number of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals(4)(5) Percentage known to be eligible for free school meals(6) Number on roll(4)(5) Number of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals(4)(5) Percentage known to be eligible Number on roll(4)(5) Number of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals(4)(5) Percentage known to be eligible for free school meals(6) 
			 White 2,537,770 415,800 16.4 2,335,860 304,550 13.0 60,730 20,830 34.3 
			 White British 2.386,990 389.190 16.3 2,223,970 285.660 12.8 58,260 20,030 34.4 
			 Irish 10,320 1.920 18.6 9,830 1,620 16.4 220 80 36.3 
			 Traveller of Irish heritage 2,920 1.750 60.1 1,090 670 61.7 70 50 65.7 
			 Gypsy/Roma 7.330 2.670 36.4 3,570 1,440 40.3 180 100 54.2 
			 Any other White background 130,220 20,270 15.6 97,400 15,160 15.6 2000 580 29.1 
			 Mixed 140,410 37,820 26.9 101,030 23,080 22.8 2,980 1,190 39.9 
			 White and Black Caribbean 42,790 14,770 34.5 35,220 9.640 27.4 1,110 510 45.4 
			 White and Black African 16,070 4,720 29.3 10,300 2,570 24.9 310 130 42.1 
			 White and Asian 30,510 5,840 19.2 20.610 3,590 17.4 490 150 31.5 
			 Any other Mixed background 51.050 12,490 24.5 34,900 7,290 20.9 1,070 400 37.4 
			 Asian 311,060 62,910 20.2 219,440 52,780 24.1 5,560 1,780 32.1 
			 Indian 81,600 7,130 8.7 65.250 6,850 10.5 1,100 210 18.9 
			 Pakistani 131,540 32,180 24.5 84,620 25.300 29.9 2,830 1,000 35.4 
			 Bangladeshi 53,950 17,440 32.3 36.160 15,140 41.9 800 370 46.7 
			 Any other Asian background 43,980 6,160 14.0 33,420 5,490 16.4 830 200 24.5 
			 Black 163,880 62,800 38.3 126,450 42,160 33.3 4,100 1,960 47.8 
			 Black Caribbean 45,280 14,970 33.1 40,090 10,110 25.2 1,280 550 42.7 
			 Black African 99.110 40,990 41.4 72,310 27,670 38.3 2,180 1,120 51.1 
			 Any other Black background 19.490 6,840 35.1 14,040 4,380 31.2 650 300 46.5 
			 Chinese 11,040 1,070 9.7 10,450 920 8.8 180 40 21.0 
			 Any other ethnic group 46,860 14,470 30.9 33,560 10,880 32.4 740 330 44.1 
			 Classified 3,211,020 594,860 18.5 2,826,790 434,370 15.4 74,280 26,130 35.2 
			 Unclassified(7) 21,480 4,070 18.9 35,630 6,240 17.5 870 300 34.9 
			 Minority Ethnic Pupils(8) 824,030 205,670 25.0 602,820 148,700 24.7 16,020 6,100 38.1 
			 All pupils 3,232,500 598,920 18.5 2,862,410 440,600 15.4 75,150 26,430 35.2 
		
	
	(1) Includes middle schools as deemed.
	(2) Includes city technology colleges and academies.
	(3) Includes maintained and non-maintained special schools, excludes general hospital schools.
	(4) Includes sole and dual (main) registrations.
	(5) Includes all pupils aged between five and 15.
	(6) Number of pupils eligible for free school meals expressed as a percentage of the total number of pupils of the same ethnic origin.
	(7) Information refused or not obtained.
	(8) Includes all pupils classified as belonging to an ethnic group other than White British.
	Pupil number have been rounded to the nearest 10
	Information on pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is shown in the table.
	
		
			 Table 3a 
			 Maintained nursery, maintained primary, state-funded secondary and special schools(1)(2)(3): number of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals(4) 
			 January in each year: 2006 to 2010 (Final) England 
			 Pupils attending 
			  Maintained nursery and primary schools(1)  
			  All pupils(5)   Pupils, excluding those aged post 16(6)   
			  Number on roll Number of pupils known to be eligible for free meals Percentage of pupils known to be eligible for free meals Number on roll Number of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals Percentage known to be eligible for free schools meals 
			 2006 4,187,630 670,340 16.0 3,899,450 664,980 17.1 
			 2007 4,148,390 658,910 15.9 3,860,420 654,290 16.9 
			 2008 4,127,840 641,490 15.5 3,837,680 637,170 16.6 
			 2009 4,114,630 656,570 16.0 3,825,480 652,310 17.1 
			 2010 4,134,160 717,060 17.3 3,838,680 711,410 18.5 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 3a (cont.) 
			 Maintained nursery, maintained primary, state-funded secondary and special schools(1)(2)(3): number of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals(4) 
			 January in each year: 2006 to 2010 (Final) England 
			 Pupils attending 
			  State-funded secondary schools(1)(2)  
			  All pupils(5)   Pupils, excluding those aged post 16(6)   
			  Number on roll Number of pupils known to be eligible for free meals Percentage of pupils known to be eligible for free meals Number on roll Number of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals Percentage known to be eligible for free schools meals 
			 2006 3,347,500 458,690 13.7 2,985,900 439,120 14.7 
			 2007 3,325,620 445,070 13.4 2,955,210 425,110 14.4 
			 2008 3,294,580 433,140 13.1 2,913,730 413,360 14.2 
			 2009 3,278,130 438,860 13.4 2,883,250 417,970 14.5 
			 2010 3,278,490 464,660 14.2 2,864,350 441,140 15.4 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 3a (cont.) 
			 Maintained nursery, maintained primary, state-funded secondary and special schools(1)(2)(3): number of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals(4) 
			 January in each year: 2006 to 2010 (Final) England 
			 Pupils attending 
			  Special schools(3)  
			  All pupils(5)   Pupils, excluding those aged post 16(6)   
			  Number on roll Number of pupils known to be eligible for free meals Percentage of pupils known to be eligible for free meals Number on roll Number of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals Percentage known to be eligible for free schools meals 
			 2006 90,450 29,410 32.5 79,310 26,690 33.7 
			 2007 90,600 29,110 32.1 78,760 26,290 33.4 
			 2008 90,690 28,680 31.6 79,380 25,710 32.4 
			 2009 91,160 29,290 32.1 78,030 26,250 33.6 
			 2010 91,820 30,600 33.3 78,330 27,330 34.9 
		
	
	Source: School Census
	1. Includes middle schools as deemed.
	2. Includes city technology colleges and academies.
	3. Includes maintained and non-maintained special schools, excludes general hospital schools.
	4. See Technical Notes 2, 3, 4 and 5.
	5. Includes all full-time and part-time pupils who are sole or dual main registrations. Includes boarders.
	6. Pupils eligible for free school meals who have full-time attendance and are aged 15 or under, or pupils who have part-time attendance and are aged between five and 15.
	Pupil numbers have been rounded to the nearest 10.

Schools: Nursery Education

Lord Northbourne: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they will identify the children who will be offered free nursery education at two years old.

Lord Hill of Oareford: The Government announced, as part of the spending review on 20 October, that the free entitlement to 15 hours of nursery education each week for three and four year-olds will also be gradually extended to every disadvantaged two year-old and will be funded by additional investment of around £300 million by the end of the spending period-2014-15. This is a key part of the new fairness premium, which will give the poorest children a better start in life and increase the number of places available from 20,000 to around 130,000 over the next four years.
	The extension of free early education for two year-olds will take account of the existing pilot in all 152 local authorities in England. This currently provides free early education for around 20,000 two year-olds drawn from the most disadvantaged families. We are currently funding research into the pilot, which includes an in-depth exploration of how local authorities are ensuring that they identify and reach the most disadvantaged children. The research report will be used to inform the expansion of the programme.

Spending Review 2010

Lord Touhig: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Sassoon on 17 November (WA 217), what measures they intend to take to monitor the impact of Spending Review 2010 on the number of disabled people living in poverty, given that it is not currently possible to make such an assessment.

Lord Sassoon: The Department for Work and Pensions produces statistics on poverty in the Households Below Average Income (HBAI) survey, which includes statistics for disabled people living in poverty. HBAI is published annually, usually in late spring. The latest survey (released in May 2010) refers to the financial year 2008-09.
	The HBAI results are national statistics and are produced and released in accordance with the UK Statistics Authority's code of practice.
	The Treasury published the document Overview of Equalities Impacts of the Spending Review on 20 October alongside the announcement. This included a qualitative assessment of the effect of the spending review on disabled people.

Spending Review 2010

Lord Willis of Knaresborough: To ask Her Majesty's Government when an announcement will be made about the Local Sustainable Transport Fund; and what is the resource allocation for the fund for each of the years of Spending Review 2010.

Earl Attlee: The Government will be making an announcement about the local sustainable transport fund shortly. Guidance on the fund will be published and will include details of the level of funding available for each of the years of the spending review 2010. The overall fund totals £560 million, with £210 million allocated for capital and £350 million allocated to revenue.

Spending Review 2010

Lord Barnett: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Sassoon on 23 November (WA 321), what is the latest fiscal position of the United Kingdom; and how this compares to May 2010.

Lord Sassoon: In its pre-Budget forecast, the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) forecast that public sector net borrowing would be 10.5 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2010-11. In its autumn forecast, the OBR forecast that public sector net borrowing will be 10.0 per cent of GDP in 2010-11.

St Helena

Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to review the service provided by NICare to St Helena's public health service.

Baroness Verma: NICare was incorporated into NI-CO in 2006. We have no plans to review the services provided by NI-CO. This is a matter for the St Helena Government, who have contracted NI-CO to provide assistance with the recruitment of health and social services staff.

Taxation: Income Tax

Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Sassoon on 22 November (WA 287), what is the methodology used to determine maximum sustainable tax revenues to be raised through the bank levy; and whether non-bank financial service companies will also be subject to this or a similar levy.

Lord Sassoon: From 2012, the bank levy will generate around £2.5 billion of annual revenues. The levy will apply to:
	the global consolidated balance sheet of UK banking groups and building societies;the aggregated subsidiary and branch balance sheets of foreign banks and banking groups operating in the UK; andthe balance sheets of UK banks in non-banking groups.
	It will not apply to other forms of financial institution and there are no plans at present to extend its scope.

Taxation: Income Tax

Baroness Valentine: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Sassoon on 18 November (WA 244) what they consider to be the revenue-maximising top rate of income tax.

Lord Sassoon: The revenue-maximising top rate of income tax is dependent on the prevailing policy, tax planning opportunities and economic climate of the time, as well as social attitudes towards paying tax. These factors can influence the degree of behavioural response to tax changes and the incentives for individuals to reduce their reported taxable income.
	Given the changing nature of these factors, the Government do not produce continuous updates of the revenue-maximising top rate of income tax.

Taxation: VAT

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the impact of the rise in VAT to 20 per cent on low-income families.

Lord Sassoon: At the June Budget, for the first time, the Government published distributional analysis of the impact of measures being announced. This included analysis by income and expenditure deciles of changes being made to indirect taxation.
	Charts A3 and A4 of the Budget publication show that, both in cash terms and as a proportion of their income, higher-spending households will pay more of the tax increase than lower-spending households.

Transport: London Buses

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the Mayor of London about the bus service in the capital.

Earl Attlee: The Secretary of State has regular discussions with the mayor on a variety of London transport issues, including bus services.

Water Supply

Lord Dykes: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will discuss with local and regional bodies and environmental agencies measures to address the proportion of the water supply that is wasted in the United Kingdom.

Lord Henley: In England, it is a statutory requirement for water companies to prepare and maintain water resources management plans. The plans look ahead 25 years and include projections of current and future demands for water and how the companies aim to meet this demand. Each plan should include proposed measures to reduce demand, including more efficient use of water and leakage control.
	As part of the public consultation on the plans, consumers and statutory consultees (including local authorities, the Environment Agency and the Consumer Council for Water) have an opportunity to give their views on the content. In the 2008 planning round, the water companies were required to assess the responses received during the public consultation and to publish a statement of response. The Secretary of State considered the water companies' plans, together with responses received during the public consultation.
	By 2015, the plans propose to reduce leakage by around 10 per cent compared to 2009-10. By 2014-15, water companies will have saved 281 million litres a day by promoting water efficiency, by reducing leakage and through their planned meter installation programmes.

Waterways: Inland Waterways Advisory Council

Lord Rowlands: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the cost in 2009-10 of the Inland Waterways Advisory Council.

Lord Henley: The Inland Waterways Advisory Council (IWAC) receives its income from Defra and the Scottish Government. In 2009-10, Defra provided £181,713 and the Scottish Government £33,000, which is a total of £214,7131.
	1 Source-IWAC's annual report for 2009-10.

Women: Peace and Security

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 on women, peace and security in Northern Ireland.

Lord Shutt of Greetland: UN Security Council Resolution 1325 makes provision for the protection of women in armed conflicts and to encourage their participation in conflict resolution and political and public life.
	The situation in Northern Ireland has never been considered to be an armed conflict, as defined in international law. Nevertheless, some aspects of UNSCR 1325 such as participation in peace/political processes are relevant to all states and the Government will continue to work towards increasing the representation of women in Northern Ireland in public and political life.